For those looking to reconnect with family and embrace their cultural roots, learning the 26 Malay alphabet letters is the perfect first step.
The good news?
Many Malay letters, such as “B” and “D,” are pronounced just like in English, making the learning process more intuitive.
However, some letters have unique pronunciations that set Malay apart. For example, “E” can have two distinct sounds—the schwa (ə), like the ‘uh’ in “sofa,” and ‘eh,’ as in “bet.”
Similarly, “T” in Malay is unaspirated, meaning it’s pronounced more softly than in English, without the burst of air that follows the English “T.”
A close example would be the “T” in “stop,” which lacks the strong puff of air you’d find in “top.”
Knowing how to spell Malay words and pronounce each letter correctly can make a world of difference in how well your Malay-speaking family understands you.
Even small mispronunciations can lead to confusion, so mastering these fundamentals will help you communicate more naturally and confidently.
Whether you’re learning to have heartfelt conversations with your grandparents or simply deepening your connection to your family’s language, mastering the Malay alphabet is an essential first step.
Let’s dive in!
Table Of Contents
Mastering The 26 Malay Alphabet Letters
1) Aa
The Malay alphabet starts with A, just like in English.
It makes the same “A” sound as in “father” or “car.”
You’ll hear it in words like ayah (father) and api (fire).
2) Bb
B in Malay is just like in English—think “ball” or “bat.”
Words like buku (book) and besar (big) are pronounced exactly as you’d expect.
3) Cc
In Malay, C is always pronounced “CH,” like in “cheese” or “chocolate.”
This means cinta (love) sounds like “chinta,” and cakap (speak) sounds like “chakap.”
4) Dd
D sounds the same as in English, like “dog” or “day.”
You’ll hear it in dia (he/she) and duduk (sit).
5) Ee
Malay has two different “E” sounds.
One is the “UH” sound, like the “e” in “the,” heard in words like emas (gold) and telur (egg).
The other sounds like “EH,” as in “bed,” found in epal (apple) and ekor (tail).
Getting these right helps make your speech sound more natural to your Malay-speaking family!
6) Ff
F is just like in English—think “fun” or “family.”
In Malay, words like fikir (think) and filem (film) use the same sound.
7) Gg
G always sounds like the “G” in “goat” or “garden.”
There’s no soft “G” like in “giraffe.” So gula (sugar) is always pronounced with a strong “G.”
8) Hh
Unlike in English, where H is sometimes silent (like “honest”), in Malay, it’s always pronounced.
So hati (heart) and hari (day) both start with a clear “H” sound.
9) Ii
I sounds like “EE” in “see” or “tree.” You’ll hear it in hari (day) and biri-biri (sheep).
Some teachers even write “hari” as “HAR-EE” to help learners say it correctly.
10) Jj
J is always pronounced like “J” in “jungle” or “jump.”
So jalan (road) sounds just like “jalan” with a strong “J” sound.
11) Kk
K in Malay sounds like the “K” in “cold,” “cat,” and “car,” but with a slight difference—it’s not aspirated, meaning there’s no strong burst of air when you say it.
It’s a softer “K” compared to English.
However, for emphasis or comedic effect, some speakers might exaggerate it with a little extra air, similar to how English speakers might over-pronounce a word for dramatic effect.
You’ll hear it in words like kecil (small) and kawan (friend).
12) Ll
L is pronounced the same way as in English, like in “long,” “live,” and “love.”
You’ll hear it in words like lima (five) and laut (sea).
13) Mm
M in Malay is exactly like in English.
Think “mother,” “mumble,” or “man.”
Words like mata (eye) and malam (night) follow the same pattern.
14) Nn
N sounds just like the English “N” in “nice” and “now.”
So when you say nama (name) or nyanyi (sing), the pronunciation feels familiar.
15) Oo
O in Malay is a pure “O” sound, unlike in English, where it often glides into a “OU” sound, as in “go” or “low.”
In Malay, it stays consistent and straightforward, similar to the “O” in “motto” or “torso.”
You’ll hear it in words like orang (person) and otak (brain).
Unlike English, where “O” can shift sounds (like in “come” vs. “go”), Malay pronunciation keeps it simple and steady!
16) Pp
P in Malay is pronounced without a strong burst of air, unlike the “PH” sound in English words like pan, paper, and pin.
Instead, it sounds more like the “P” in sphere or spend, where there’s little to no extra puff of air.
You’ll hear this in words like pagi (morning) and pisang (banana).
However, just like “K” in Malay, some speakers might add a bit of air for emphasis or stylistic effect, but this isn’t the standard pronunciation.
17) Qq
Unlike in English, where Q is always followed by “U” (like “queen”), in Malay, Q is usually pronounced as “K.”
For example, Quran is said more like “Koran.”
18) Rr
One of the key sound differences between Malay and Indonesian is the pronunciation of the letter “R.”
Unlike Indonesian, where “R” is often rolled, standard Malay “R” is not trilled but instead pronounced more softly, similar to the English “R.”
It’s pronounced more like the English “R” in rice or rat, without the strong rolling you’d hear in Spanish or Italian.
You’ll find this clear “R” sound in words like rumah (house) and ruang (space).
19) Ss
S in Malay is exactly like “S” in “sand,” “soap,” and “bus.”
The word satu (one) sounds just like “sah-too,” and sawah (paddy field) follows the same rule.
20) Tt
Again, just like “P” and “K,” “T” in Malay is unaspirated, meaning there’s less of a breathy puff of air compared to English.
It sounds more like the “T” in “stop” rather than the one in “top.”
You’ll hear it in tangan (hand) and tiket (ticket).
21) Uu
Unlike many English vowels, Malay “U” is always pronounced as a strong “oo” with rounded lips in loop, coop, and boot.
There are no variations like in English, where “U” can sound different in words like put and flute, pronounced with slightly relaxed lips.
In Malay, words like ular (snake) and umur (age) keep a consistent “oo” sound.
22) Vv
The letter “V” is not native to traditional Malay and mostly appears in loanwords.
When used, it sounds like the English “V” in vain, venture, and vine, though some speakers may pronounce it closer to “F” in casual speech, especially in older Malay words.
23) Ww
“W” in Malay is pronounced just like in English words like wow, win, and winter.
You’ll hear this sound in words like waktu (time) and wang (money).
Unlike some languages where “W” can sound like “V,” Malay keeps it consistent.
24) Xx
“X” is rare in Malay and mainly appears in loanwords, where it’s often pronounced like “Z.”
For example, xilofon (xylophone) is pronounced as if it starts with a “Z” sound, just like in English. Some words may also use “X” for a “KS” sound, like in teks (text).
25) Yy
“Y” in Malay sounds exactly like in yummy, yam, and yes.
You’ll find it in words like yang (which/that) and yayasan (foundation).
Just like in English, it always has a “Y” sound and is never silent.
26) Zz
“Z” in Malay is pronounced just like in English words like zebra, zap, and zeal.
It appears in words like zaman (era) and zon (zone), keeping the same buzzing “Z” sound you’re familiar with.
Bonus: Malay Vocabulary Examples For Each Alphabet
| Alphabet | Malay | English | Transcription | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aa | Ayam | Chicken | /ɑˈjʌm/ | A-yum |
| Bb | Bola | ball | /bolɑ/ | BO-la |
| Cc | Cawan | cup | /ʧɑwʌn/ | Cha-one |
| Dd | Dagu | chin | /dagu/ | DA-goo |
| Ee | Elak Emas | avoid gold | /ˈɛlʌk/ /əmʌs/ | EH-luck UH-must |
| Ff | Fail | file | /faɪl/ | file |
| Gg | Gam | glue | /gʌm/ | gum |
| Hh | Hari | day | /hʌri/ | HA-ri |
| Ii | Ikan | fish | /ɪkʌn/ | ee-kʌn |
| Jj | Jari | finger | /ʤɑrɪ/ | JAr-i |
| Kk | Kamu | you | /kɑmu/ | Car-moo |
| Ll | Lima | five | /limɑ/ | lee-ma |
| Mm | Makan | eat | /mɑkʌn/ | Ma-kʌn |
| Nn | Nasi | rice | /nɑsi/ | Na-see |
| Oo | Otak | brain | /oʊtʌk/ | O-tuck |
| Pp | Pagi | morning | /pʌgi/ | PA-gi |
| Qari | reciter | /kɔri/ | KOR-i | |
| Rr | Rumah | house | /rumɑh/ | room-AH |
| Ss | Satu | one | /sɑtu/ | sɑ-too |
| Tt | Taman | park | /tɑmʌn/ | ta-mʌn |
| Uu | Udang | shrimp | /udɑŋ/ | oo-dang |
| Vv | Van | caravan | /væn/ | van |
| Ww | Wau | moon-shaped kite | /waʊ/ | wow |
| Xx | Xilofon | xylophone | /zɪloˌfoʊn/ | zee-lo-phone |
| Yy | Yoyo | yoyo | /joʊjoʊ/ | yow-yow |
| Zz | Zip | zip fastener | /zɪp/ | zip |
Malay Alphabet Made Easy: 3 Tips To Improve Your Pronunciation And Honor Your Roots
Mastering the Malay alphabet isn’t just about letters and sounds—it’s a gateway to meaningful conversations with family and a deeper connection to your roots.
Here’s how you can make the learning process more intuitive and personal:
1) Compare Malay Sounds To Your Native Language
Spot the similarities and differences between Malay and the language you grew up with.
Many Malay letters, like B, D, and M, sound just like their English counterparts, making them easy to pick up.
Others, like “T” and “K,” are unaspirated—meaning they sound softer than their English equivalents.
Noticing these subtle differences will help you sound more natural when speaking with family.
2) Train Your Ears With Minimal Pairs
A great way to tune your ears to Malay pronunciation is by listening to English loanwords in Malay that have been adapted into Malay, like telefon (telephone) and teori (theory).
Since you’re already familiar with their English pronunciations, you can easily spot how Malay phonology modifies them—like how “T” is softer and unaspirated.
This makes it easier to grasp Malay phonetics naturally before moving on to fully native words.
3) Ask Your Malay Relatives To Pronounce Words And Check Your Pronunciation
Learning from family members isn’t just meaningful—it’s also incredibly effective.
Ask your grandparents, parents, or older relatives to say words aloud so you can hear how native speakers naturally pronounce them.
Try repeating after them, and don’t be afraid to ask for corrections.
You can even record their pronunciation and play it back to compare with your own.
This way, they can help fine-tune your pronunciation while deepening your bond through shared language.
How Do You Say Alphabet In Malay?
In Malay, the word for “alphabet” is abjad.
It comes from the Arabic script and is commonly used when referring to both the Latin-based Malay alphabet and the traditional Jawi script.
Learning the abjad Melayu is an important step in reconnecting with your linguistic heritage, as it helps you read, write, and pronounce words just as your ancestors did.
If you’re looking for a structured way to learn Malay letters and their correct pronunciation, the Ling app provides interactive lessons that make mastering the alphabet an engaging and meaningful experience.
Frequently Asked Questions About Malay Alphabet
How Many Letters Are In The Malay Alphabet?
The modern Malay alphabet consists of 26 letters, identical to the English alphabet.
However, the way some of these letters are pronounced differs, with sounds like “E” having two variations (one similar to “eh” and another like a schwa) and “T” being unaspirated.
Understanding these nuances can help you sound more natural when speaking with family members.
If you’re just starting out, focus on listening to how native speakers pronounce each letter in common words—it’s a small but powerful step toward feeling more connected to your roots.
What Alphabet Do They Use In Malaysia?
Malaysia primarily uses the Latin-based Malay alphabet, which was introduced during the colonial era and is now the standard Malay writing.
However, the country also recognizes Jawi, an Arabic-derived script historically used for writing Malay, especially in religious and cultural contexts.
Whether you’re learning the Latin alphabet to text relatives or exploring Jawi inscriptions to understand historical documents, both scripts are valuable in keeping the language—and your cultural identity—alive.
Why Does Malay Use Jawi?
Jawi has deep historical roots in the Malay-speaking world, dating back centuries when Arabic traders introduced the script.
It became widely used in literature, religious texts, and royal decrees, making it an important part of Malay cultural heritage.
Today, while most Malaysians use the Latin alphabet, Jawi remains relevant in Islamic education, traditional art, and even signage in certain regions.
Learning Jawi can be a meaningful way to connect with older generations who grew up reading it.
The Ling app makes it easy to explore both modern Malay and Jawi script, helping you embrace your cultural identity while improving your language skills in a fun and interactive way.
From Alphabet To Conversation: Bringing Malay To Life
We’ve explored the fundamentals of Mastering The 26 Malay Alphabet Letters, looked at a Bonus: Malay Vocabulary Examples For Each Alphabet, and uncovered pronunciation techniques in Malay Alphabet Made Easy: 3 Tips To Improve Your Pronunciation And Honor Your Roots, including how to Compare Malay Sounds To Your Native Language and Train Your Ears With Minimal Pairs.
We also answered key questions in Frequently Asked Questions About Malay Alphabet, such as Why Does Malay Use Jawi?
Now, it’s time to put your knowledge into practice!
Learning the Malay alphabet is more than just memorizing letters—it’s about reclaiming a piece of your identity and strengthening your connection with family.
Whether you’re reading old letters, chatting with grandparents, or discovering traditional Malay stories, every word brings you closer to your roots.
The Ling app makes this journey even easier with interactive lessons that help you speak, read, and write Malay in a way that feels natural and rewarding.
Start today, and bring your family’s language to life!
Interested To Know More About Bahasa Melayu?
Speaking Malay is more than just learning letters—it’s about reconnecting with family, preserving traditions, and keeping your roots alive.
Learn Malaysian and start building deeper connections with your loved ones.
The Ling app makes the journey easy and engaging, guiding you through the language with interactive lessons designed to help you embrace your cultural identity.
